The Role of Inland Wetlands in Food Security at Ede Wetlands, Southwestern Nigeria
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2014 3rd International Conference on Nutrition and Food Sciences IPCBEE vol. 71 (2014) © (2014) IACSIT Press, Singapore DOI: 10.7763/IPCBEE. 2014. V71. 22 The Role of Inland Wetlands in Food Security at Ede Wetlands, Southwestern Nigeria Martin Binde, Gasu 1 1 Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Osun State University, Osogbo,Nigeria. Abstract. The study investigates the utilization of wetland resources in Ede region with a view to exploring them for agricultural production and food security. Data for the study was sourced from primary and secondary sources. The Global Positioning System (GPS) which equally served as a primary source of data was utilized for ground truthing and validation of potential Fadama sites identified by the Digital Terrain Model (DTM). Topographic map which served as secondary data was processed using geospatial techniques and the contours interpolated to create a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) to determine the most appropriate locations for Fadama activities. The results show that areas below 213.4m above sea level are the most appropriate sites for Fadama activities suitable for the cultivation of food crops such as rice; maize as well as for fish farming and market gardening. The study identified anthropogenic activities: pressure from increasing human population as a threat to wetlands existence and human survival especially low income earners. The study concluded that wetland resources potentials and utilisation have not been fully and properly harnessed to ensure food security and reduce the incidence of poverty in the study area. Keywords: wetlands, digital terrain model, food security and poverty 1. Introduction The 2012 floods that ravaged the main flood plains of Nigeria is a pointer to how pressures from growing population and quest for human settlement and poverty are threatening the existence of wetlands in many communities. The importance of wetlands to humanity and sustenance of ecosystems cannot be overemphasised in this country considering the events of the past few months. Schuyt [1]observed that in some instances wetlands have proven to be the almost exclusive source of natural resources upon which rural economies depend. In a study of Yala Swamp wetland in Western Kenya, it was found that communities rely 100% on water extracted from wetlands for drinking, cooking and washing while building materials such as clay, sand, wood, and papyrus provide resources for about 86% of the population (Jansen and Schuyt, [2]). Sustainable management of wetlands can be claimed to be critical to the livelihoods and sustenance of many human settlements therefore. Food and Agricultural Organisation [3] observed that Nigeria is among those nations that are technically unable to meet their food needs from rain fed agricultural production (Mashi and Ishaya, [4]). Okechukwu [5] stated that, Nigeria is the largest importer of rice in the world, spending N365bn per year importing 2.1 million MT of milled rice. The report stated further Nigeria was importing over $11bn worth of wheat, rice, sugar and fish and that its food imports are growing at an unsustainable rate of 11 per cent per annum which fuels domestic inflation and is of great concern to the Government and the people. Wetlands (Fadama or Akuro) have been used for dry season farming in Nigeria and have contributed greatly to food crop production in the country particularly in the arid and semi arid regions (FAO, [3] and Enplan Group, [6]). Worldwide it is estimated that wetlands cover about 6% of the earth's land surface and are unevenly distributed across the globe and are found across every climatic region (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Corresponding author. Tel.: ++2348033816133. E-mail address: [email protected] 107 MA, [7]). The cool temperate and sub-artic zones favour the development of bogs, which account for over half of wetlands globally (Mitsch et al, [8]). Wetlands cover between 1% and 16% of the African continent (Koohafkan, [9]) an area between 220,000 km2 to 1,250,000 km2 (Bullock et al, [10]). In Nigeria they cover over 24,009 km2 (Kio and Ola-Adams, [11]). It has generally been observed that despite the fascinating ecological and evolutionary potentials of wetlands, they have been the least appreciated of all habitat types. They provide potentials for dry season farming activities for crops such as rice (Oryza Sativa) which could be grown three times in a year, maize (Zea Mays) four times in a year, yam (Dioscorea allata) twice in a year; as well as okro (Hibiscus Esculentus), pepper (Capsicum Annum), poultry farming, market gardening, fish farming, green pastures for grazing animals throughout the year and raw materials for handcraft ( Gasu et al, [12]; Mashi and Ishaya, [4]; Gasu, [13]). Their presence is still misconstrued in some communities, nonetheless whereas swamps are conjured as images of mosquitoes, leeches, filthy water, and waste dump areas (Bush, [14]). This is to say that until recently wetlands were considered to be worthless by both Government and public. As such the USA Lands Acts of 1849, 1860, and 1868 expressly encouraged drainage and reclamation of wetlands which led to the destruction of about 53% of the 42 m ha of wetlands in the country with as high as 95% destruction rate recorded in the Mississippi valley (Bush, [14]). Fadama is Hausa word for wetlands that has been accepted universally because of the significance of the resources in semi-arid Nigerian environment (Enplan Group, [6]. It refers to low-lying areas characterised by flooding and usually enriched with alluvial deposits when the floods retreat suitable for agricultural production (FAO, [15]). The National Fadama Development Project (NFPD), which is in its third phase now (NFPD-II christened Fadama III) was initiated in the early 1990s to promote simple and low-cost improved irrigation technology under the World Bank for all the states of the federation. Its widespread adoption enables farmers to increase production, by more than 300% in some cases (World Bank, [16]). The Federal Government of Nigeria, impressed by the achievements of the first NFDP (Fadama I) between 1992-1998, approached the World Bank through the African Development Fund (ADF) for loan in support of expanding the achievements of Fadama I in scope and size during the second NFDP (Fadama II) and Fadama III phases. The main objective is to increase incomes of Fadama users through expansion of farming and none farming activities and with high value added output through the establishment of agro-allied processing industries. The programme adopted the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach with emphasis on extensive participation of stakeholders at the early stage of the project cycle. This approach is very much in line with the road map towards achieving the MDGs and development strategies for Nigeria, on poverty reduction, private sector participation and beneficiary participation for all involved (World Bank, [16]). NFDP is a major instrument for achieving the Government's poverty reduction objective in the rural areas of Nigeria. The beneficiaries are the private economic agents who achieve their livelihood directly or indirectly from the exploitation of the natural resources in a given Fadama area. The project empowers the Fadama Community Associations (FCAs) with resources and the needed training and technical support to properly manage and control these resources for their own development. The condition for assessing funds from the Fadama programme is based on counterpart funding by both beneficiaries; Local Government, State Government, Federal Government and The World Bank. Benefiting farmers must form Fadama Users Groups (FUGs) of between 10-20 members per group who are expected to constitute themselves into Fadama Community Associations (FCAs) which is the apex body of between 10- 15 FUGs at the community level and identify their area of comparative advantage. FCAs will take charge of their own destiny through real empowerment (World Bank, [16]). A minimum of ten (10) Fadama Community Associations are to be formed in the each of twenty (20) participating Local Government Areas (LGAs) making a total of at least 200 FCAs. The programme envisaged that, for each member of the Fadama User Group (FUG), fifteen (15) household members will benefit from Fadama III. Hence, there would be (300) household members benefiting (Osun State, [17]). The State and Local Governments as well as Ife area office co-fund the project with the World Bank and ADB as shown in Table I. The Nigerian rural sector is dominated by the majority rural poor who are into small scale agriculture, mainly dependent on rain-fed, low land and labour intensive farming methods. However, the country has comparative potentials in the production of a variety of fresh and processed high value crops, especially 108 vegetables, livestock products (meat and milk) and fisheries products throughout the year considering its favourable agro-ecological conditions in Fadama areas. This study sought to advocate for wetlands utilization that will create the synergy and interrelationships amongst the identified wetlands potentials (products and services) for sustainable rural development, food sufficiency and poverty reduction in Nigeria. Table I: The percentage contribution by each Fadama stakeholder. COMPONENT IDA STATE LOCAL GOVT. COMMUNITIES Capacity Building 30% 35% 35% - Rural Infrastructure 90% - - 10% Advisory Services 70% 30% - - Input Support 50% - - 50% Asset Acquisition 70% - - 30% Source: Osun State Fadama III, 2010. 2. Study Area The study was conducted in Ede Region Osun State, Nigeria. Located between latitude 7º 31' and 7 º 55' North and longitude 4 º 15' and 4 º 40' East. Ede region accommodates the wetland areas of Ede South and Ede North LGAs. Ede is bounded to the South by Ayedade, to the East by Atakumusa and Osogbo, to the North by Egbedore and to the West by Ejigbo and Ayedire Local Governments Areas of Osun State. The region is drained by Rivers Shasha and Osun, along with their tributaries.